Apparatus for feeding and orienting pears



Jan. 8, 1952 A. R. THOMPSON APPARATUS FOR FEEDING AND ORIENTING PEARS 9 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 3, 1945 A LBERT' I?! 777' oMPso/v Jan. 8, 1952 A. R. THOMPSON APPARATUS FOR FEEDING AND ORIENTING FEARS 9 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 5, 1945 Jan. 8, 1952 A. R. THOMPSON APPARATUS FOR FEEDING AND ORIENTING FEARS 9 Sheets-Sheet 3 AL 55k?" R. 7740MPso/v Filed Jan. 5, 1945 Jan. 8, 1952 A. R. THOMPSON 2,581,732

APPARATUS FOR FEEDING AND ORIENTING FEARS Filed Jan. 5, 1945 I 9 Sheets-Sheet 4 A L 55/? T R. 77m MPSON Jan. 8, 1952 A. R. THOMPSON 2,581,732

APPARATUS FOR FEEDING AND ORIENTING FEARS Filed Jan. :5, 1945 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 ALBERT [2 77/oMRso/v Jan: 8, 1952 RTHOMPSGN 2,581,732

APPARATUS FOR FEEDING AND ORIENTING PEARS Filed Jan. 3, 1945 9 Sheets-Sheet 6 292 5 ALBERT 1Q. 7710MP50/V.

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APPARATUS FOR FEEDING AND ORIENTING FEARS 9 Sheets-Sheet 7 |*III WmN a G a AM -M HRH Jan. 8, 1952 Filed Jan. 3, 1945 wow kw mum M um wwh Jan. 8, 1952 A. R. THOMPSON 2,581,732

APPARATUS FOR FEEDING AND ORIENTING FEARS Filed Jan. 3, 1945 9 Sheets-Sheet 8 gnaw/whom- Jan. 8, 1952 A. R. THOMPSON 7 2,581,732

APPARATUS FOR FEEDING AND ORIENTING FEARS Filed Jan. 5, 1945 I 9 Sheets-Sheet 9 Ange/2TB. 7F/oMRso1v 570 i 3% WQW Patented Jan. 8, 1952 APPARATUS FOR FEEDING AND ORIENTING PEARS Albert R. Thompson, San Jose, Calif., assignor to Food Machinery and Chemical Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Application January 3, 1945, Serial No. 571,146

This invention relates generally to the fruit handling art, and is more specifically concerned December 13, 1938, for further details of the ma-' chine which were omitted from the drawings of said application for purposes of clarity. Another example of a pear preparation machine with which the present invention may be employed is disclosed in the patent to B. C. Coons No. 2,187,075, dated January 16, 1940.

In the operation of such pear preparation ma chines it is highly important that the pears be deposited in the feed cups in stem end down position since if otherwise positioned they will not be properly operated upon by the machine and thus result in a loss to the canner. It is also important that the pears be delivered to the feed cups as rapidly as the speed of the preparation machine will permit in order to utilize the full capacity of the machine.

It is the general object of my invention to provide an improved apparatus for orienting and feeding pears to a pear preparation machine or other desired place of reception.

More specifically it is an object to provide suc an apparatus which has a large capacity and which is highly effective in delivering the pears in uniform and accurately oriented position.

Various other objects and advantages will become more apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. l is a perspective view of the pear feeding and orienting mechanism of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the supply end of the same, certain parts having been omitted.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section of Fig. 2 taken along line 3-3 thereof.

Fig. 4 is a section through a'portion of the supply conveyor drive mechanism taken along line 44 of Fig. 3. I

Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical section through the supply conveyor and showing the transfer 15 Claims. (Cl. 198--33) conveyor, the feed control therefor, and a portion of the orienting conveyor in elevation, the view being taken along line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged section through the supply conveyor and the transfer conveyor taken along line 66 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a view similar to that of Fig. 5, but showing the opposite side of the transfer conveyor and feed control. The view being taken along line 11 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 8 is a section taken Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view, partly broken away to illustrate the feed control mechanism between the supply conveyor and transfer conveyor.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged plan view of the feeding and orienting conveyor and the timing and discharge mechanism associated therewith.

Fig. 11 is a longitudinal section of the orienting conveyor taken along line lI-l l of Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is a bottom view of the receiving end of the feeding and orienting conveyor as seen from line l2-i2 in Fig. 11.

Fig. 13 is a bottom view of the timing and discharge mechanism as seen from line l3-l3 in Fi 11.

Fig. 14 is an enlarged cross section of the feeding conveyor taken along line [4-14 of Fig. 10.

Fig. 15 is an enlarged sectional detail view of a mount for one end of a conveyor roll taken along line Iii-l5 in Fig. 10.

Fig. 16 is an enlarged sectional detail of a. mount for the opposite end of the conveyor roll taken along line l6l6 of Fig. 10.

Fig. 17 is an enlarged section through a rail bracket taken along line l'|-'l'| of Fig. 11.

Fig. 18 is a side view of the discharge mechaalong line 88 of .nism taken along line I 8-l8 of Fig. 10, certain parts being broken away while others are shown in section.

Fig. 19 is a transverse section through the timing and discharge mechanism taken along line iii-l9 of Fig. 18.

Fig. 20 is an enlarged perspective view of the timing and discharge mechanism of the machine.

Fig. 21 is an enlarged section through the center belt tensioning mechanism taken along line 2|.-2| in Fig. 11.

Fig. 22 is an enlarged plan view of the center belt pulley and bracket therefore at the discharge end of the machine.

Ingeneral the mechanism of the present invention comprises a supply conveyor A, a feed control mechanism B, a rotary transfer conveyor C, a

feeding and orienting conveyor D, and a timing and discharge mechanism E.

The pears to be handled'are deposited upon the supply conveyor A which supplies the pears application Serial No. 523,084 above referred to which has as its foundation a frame structure similar to that of the pear peeler shown and described in United States Letters Patent No. 2,139,704. "It should be noted, however, that the feeding and orienting mechanism of the present invention may'also be used in connectionwith other types of machines or to deliver pears to any "desired place of reception as will be obvious to those skilled in the art. Preliminary to a more detailed description of the pear feeding and orienting mechanism illustrated, it may bestated briefly that the pear preparation machine withwhich itis shown associated (Fig. 1) comprises a frame including a turret housing 3 which support for intermittent rotation aturretshaft 4 to which is secured a turret5 provided with a pluralityof stemming tubes 1 upon whichpears to be prepared are impaled for intermittent advance as shown and described in Patent No. 2,139,704 hereinbefore mentioned. The shaft 4 is intermittently driven through a .Geneva drive (not shown) While a cons'tantly rotating tubular shaft 9 coaxially and rotatably mounted on the shaft ,4 is suitably driven by theprime mover of the machine (not shown) as clearly shown in Patent No. 2,139,704 previously referred to herein.

- Frame structure and drive v Independent drive means may be employed for driving the pear feeding and orienting mechanism of the present invention. However, since it is intended to operate in synchronism with a pear preparation machine, it is preferably driven directly by the pear preparation machine with which it associated.

The pear feeding and orienting mechanism comprises a frame structure l5 (Figs. 1, 10, 11, 12,

A drive shaft 30 is rotatably arranged in aligned bearing brackets 3| bolted to the upstanding flanges H on one side of the frame I5 and the forward end of this shaft is journaled in a bearing 32 formed on a bracket 33 bolted as at 34 on the frame I of the pear preparation machine. secured'to the shaft 3|! adjacent the bracket 33 is a sprocket 35 which is drivingly connected by a chain 36 to a sprocket 3! secured to the constantly rotating tubular shaft 9. An idler sprocket 38 is rotatably mounted on a stud shaft .39 extending through a slot 40 in the web portion 4| of the bracket 33 and secured to the web portion at the desired position to tension the chain 36, From the foregoing it is therefore apparent that upon operation of the pear preparation machine, i. e., rotation of the shaft 9, the drive shaft 30 is constantly rotated in timed relation therewith.

Supply conveyor -'-?The supply conveyor A (Figs. 1 to 3 and 5 to 7) comprises a frame having legs 5| for supporting a table '52 formed by a channel member 59 supported oncross beams 60 Welded to the upper ends of the legs 5|. The lower ends of the legs are joined by longitudinal struts BI and cross bars 62 secured to the legs as by welding. Arranged on the frame 50 are a set of pulleys over which conveyor belts 64 disposed adjacent each other are trained, there being two such belts 66 and .61. movable in opposite directions and in a common plane relative to each other. The belt 66 trained." over one set of pulleys 68 and 69 while the other belt 61 is trained over a different set of pulleys l0 and l 'i-The pulleys 68 and 70 are each mounted for free rotation on a shaft 12 supported on brackets 13 secured to the legs 5| at one end of the frame 50 .(see'Figs. 1, 2, and 3), while the pulleys 69 and H. are secured to separate drive shafts l4 and 15, respectively, which drive shafts I4 and 15 are arranged in spaced relation and journaled in? bearings and 8| mounted by bolts 82 on a U-shaped bracket 83 suitably secured to the legs 5|"at the opposite end of the frame 50.

The pulleys are so arranged that the upper reaches of the belts are disposed adjacent each other and extendin a common plane over the bottom wall or web of channel 59. A number of oval shaped strips 84 (Fig. 2) are arranged in spaced relation on the web of the channel 59 to support the belts 66 and 61 above the latter and minimize frictional engagement between the table and belts as the belts travel over the table.

and 14); including a pair of angle irons l5 having the flanges thereof arranged vertically to form upstanding outer edges of the frame and their other flanges i8 arranged horizontally and facing inwardly toward each other. The angles a are arranged parallel to each other and are tion machine is a bracket 23 which is bolted as at 24 .to the turret housing 3, see FigQll. The

3 oppositeend ofthe frame structure 55 is braced by struts 25 having their lower ends (not shown) suitably bolted toframe of the pear preparation. machineand theirupper ends bolted conjointly with the strap |9a to the angles 6.

Each belt 66 and 6'! has its slack suitably taken up by an idler roller 86 and 81, respectively. The idler rollers 86 and 81 are mounted on an idler shaft 88 which is supported in bearings 92 adjustably mounted on the adjacent legs 5| by bolts 94 extending through vertical slots 06 formed in the legs (Figs. 3 and 5). Suitable retaining collars 91 are secured to the end of the idler shaft 88 to prevent lateral shifting of the shaft relative to the bearings 92.

,Adiacent ends of the drive shafts M and '15 have spur gears I00 and |0| secured thereto and intermeshing with each other so that the shafts l4 and 15 will rotate in opposite directions. As best seen in Figs. 2 and 4, the drive shaft 14 has a large gear I02 secured to its oppofor rotation therewith and is retained on the shaft I5 by a collar. I 06 secured to the end of the shaft by a set screw. A V-belt I01 is trained over the drive pulley I05 and over a motor pulley I08 secured to a drive shaft I09 of a gear reduction unit associated with an electric motor I I0.

The motor H is adjustably mounted on a motor base III by bolts II2 extending through slots II3 formed in the base III. This base is welded to a pair of obliquely disposed braces H4 having their respective ends secured to the legs 5| and the struts 6| (Fig. 3). The motor base I I I is in a plane substantially parallel to a plane extending from the centerof the drive pulley I95 to the center of the drive shaft I09 associated with the motor H0.

A tensioning screw H6 is threadably mounted in a nut II! welded on an upstanding flange I I8 of the motor base III insuch a manner that the end of the tensioning screw bears against themotor for urging the motor and gear reduction unit in adirection away from the drive pulley N35 to thereby tighten the V-belt I01.

As seen in Figs. 1, 2'and'3, the motor I II) drives the pulleys I08 and I05 clockwise to rotate the pinion gear I03 in a similar direction thereby driving the large gear I02 and shaft I4 counterclockwise. The spur gear I00 rotating with shaft 14 drives the spur gear IM and shaft I5 clockwise thereby rotating the pulleys 69 and II in opposite directions to cause the upper run of the belt'fil to travel toward the right, Figs. 1 and 2, and the upper run of the belt I56 to travel toward the left.

The table 52 has a center rib I20 which extends upwardly from the web portion of the channel 59 between the upper reaches of the belts 66 and 61 to separate themand to provide a slight ridge between them. The table 52 is further provided with end walls I2I and I2Ia. The end wall !2I extends over both belts 05 and El and is secured to upstanding flanges I22 and I22a of the channel 59 which constitute the side walls of the table, while the end wall I2Ia extends only over the belt 65 and is secured to the side wall I22 and a center partition. I2Ic which forms in conjunction with the side wall I22a an inlet passage I2Id. The end walls I 2I and I2Ia are spaced slightly above the top surface of the belts 65 and 61 to permit free movement of the belts along the table and to prevent the stems of the pears from becoming pinched between the belts and the walls I2I.

Each of the end walls I2I is curved and merges with the side wall of the table adjacent the upper run of the oncoming belt in such manner that articles carried by the belt moving toward the end wall will be diverted therefrom upon the other belt which is traveling away from the par ticular end wall referred to. The portion of each of the belts 6s and 6? approaching one or the other arcuate end wall is slightly elevated by a tapered shim strip I 23 (Fig. 2) arranged on the web portion of the channel 59 and having its apex disposed adjacent the side wall I22 or I22a; respectively, so that the portion of the upper run of each belt approaching the curved wall I25 or IZIa is raised to the same elevation as the upper edge of the center rib and is slightly tilted toward the reach of the adjacent belt to thereby assist the curved end walls in deflecting the pears over the central rib I20 upon the other belt. The arrangement is such that when pears are deposited at the inlet I2Id upon the belt 61 and the belts are in motion, the pears are advanced by the belt 61 in the direction of arrow B'Ia along the side wall I22a until deflected over onto the belt 66 by the curved end wall I2I whereupon they are advanced in the direction of arrow 66a along the other side wall I22 until they are deflected back onto the belt 51 by the curved and wall I2 Ia.

It is to be understood that a plurality of transfer conveyors C and feeding conveyors D may be associated with the supply conveyor A cneither side thereof although in the present instance only one transfer conveyor and one feeding and orienting conveyor'have been illustrated in association therewith. In arranging the table'52 relative to the feeding and orienting conveyor as well as the transfer conveyor C the table is secured to one angle I6 of the frame I5 by a bracket I39 (Figs. 2, 5, and 6) having one end bolted as at ISI to the bottom flange I8 of the channel IE and its opposite end bolted as at I32 to the underside of the table to dispose the transfer conveyor C at the desired position adjacent one side wall I22a of the table. The side wall I22a adjacent the transfer conveyor is provided with a discharge opening I33 which is disposed to permit the discharge of pears from the supply conveyor into the transfer conveyor.

Positioned between the upper run of the belt Ill and the web or bottom of the channel 59 intermediate the side wall 122a and the center rib IE0 is a block I34. The side Iliad of the block I36 adjacent the center rib I20 is of triangular configuration with the apex of the triangle disposed at I342). The front and rear edges I340 and I s id of the block as well as the side edge I 349 adjacent the side wall 22m of the table 52 are disposed substantially at the same elevation as the surface of the web of the channel 59 while the top surfaces I35 and I36 of the block are upwardly inclined toward each other and toward the triangular side I34a forming a ridge I31 at their junction extending in upwardly inclined direction from theside edge I34e to the apex I342) of the triangular side transversely of the block. The block I36 is so positioned on the channel 58 that the ridge I3! is disposed. adjacent the right hand margin of the discharge opening I33 as seen in Figs. 1 and 2.

From the above it will, therefore, be seen that the upper run of the belt 6? is pitched toward the discharge opening I33 as. the belt travels past the same over the block I34 so that the pears conveyed by the belt 6'! are urged toward the side wall I22a of the table as they approach the discharge opening I33 for discharge therethrough into the transfer conveyor C. Pears on the belt 61 that do not pass through the opening I33 by reason of a pile up of pears at'the opening or by reason of closing of the opening I 33 by the feed control mechanism B in a manner later to be explained, will be conveyed beyond the opening and over the ridge line I3; for another routin around the table 52.

Positioned adjacent the edge Mid (Figs. 1, 2, '2, and 9) of the discharge opening its is a roller I4! rotatably mounted on a rod M2, the lower end of which is welded tc the side wall I22di The roller MI is so positioned that its lewer end rests upon the belt Ii? while a coil spring I43, intermediate the upper end of the roller and a washer I44 held on the rod I42 by a cotter pin I65, maintains the roller in frictional engagement with the belt t? so that upon movement of the same the roller I 4! is rotated in-the direction of arrow I46; The roller IN. facilitates Transfer conveyor The transfer conveyor constitutes a rotatable hopper I50 arranged between the supply conveyor A and the feeding and orienting conveyor D for receiving pears passing through the discharge opening I33 to segregate them from the promiscuous mass of pears on the table 52 and for separating the segregated pears for delivery one at a time to the feeding and orienting conveyor.

The hopper I50 (Figs. '1 and 9) is arranged at the front end of the frame I on a bracket I5I bolted as at I49 to one angle iron I 6. The bracket I5! has a pair of spaced bearings I52 aligned with respect to each other outside the frame I5 (see Figs. 2, '7, 8, and 9). 1

A mounting yoke I 53 having a central web I54 with aligned boss formations I55 at its outer ends straddling the aligned bearings I52 is pivotally mounted on the bracket I5I by stud pins I56 secured to the respective boss formations I55 and extending into the respective bearings I52 to support the mounting yoke I54 for pivotal movement relative to the bracket I5 I.

Associated with one of the boss formations I55 is a balancing arm I51 having its upper end mounted on the stud pin I56 of the boss formation and secured by bolt I58 to an arm I59 extending downward from the particular boss formation I55 referred to and foming an integral part thereof. Thelower end of the balancing arm has a boss formation I60 provided with a bushing I6I to receive the threaded end of a stem I62 upon which lock nuts I63 are threaded. The stem I 62 extends through a stationary guide bracket I64 suspended from the frame I5 and having a socket I65 in which one end of a compression spring I66 is seated the opposite end of which is centered concentrically with respect to the stem by a shoulder I61 formed on a head plate I68 secured to the end of the stem. The compression spring I66 urges the balancing arm I51 and the mounting yoke I53 counterclockwise in Fig. 8 or clockwise in Fig. 9 and a stop lug I69 (Fig. 9) formed on the balancing arm engages the adjacent angle I6 to limit such movement.

The web I54 of the mounting yoke I53 has a bearing boss I15 (Fig. 8) formed thereon. Mounted on this bearing boss I15 and bolted as at I16 to the web I54 is a depending bracket I11 of a hopper carriage I18. The hopper carriage has a substantially circular plate portion I 19 disposed at an angle relative to the supply conveyor A to position the lower periphery of the circular plate adjacent to and below the discharge opening of the supply conveyor and the upper periphery of the circular plate above the receiving end of the feeding and orienting con veyor D (Figs. 5 to 9 inclusive).

As best seen in Fig. 6, a hub I80 is formed concentrically on the plate portion I19 through which a shaft portion I SI of a bevel gear I82 extends. The hopper also has a hub portion I83 which rests on a thrust bearing I84 lying on the hub I80 of the carriage I18 and this hub portion I83 is secured to the shaft I8I by a cap plug I85 having a set screw I86 threaded therethrough and into the upper end of the shaft portion IBI.

The hopper I50 has a bottom wall I81 (Figs.

2, 6 and 9) spaced fromthe plate I19 and provided with a series of apertures l88 at radial points therearound and adjacent an annular sidewall I89 extending upwardly from the bottom wall of the hopper. V Extending downwardly from the bottom wall I81 coaxially with the apertures I88 are a series of integral tubular sections I90 which form transfer pockets I9I in the hopper, the size of each pocket being such as to hold one pear only for transfer. The side wall I89 of the hopper is formed to provide a recess I92 adjacent eachpocket I9I for guiding the pears into the pockets. The plate I19 provides a stationary bottom for the pockets I9I to support the pears in the latter during transfer from the discharge opening I33 to a point above the feeding and orienting conveyor D where they are to be dropped one at a time into the latter.

The plate I 19 is depressed slightly adjacent the upper periphery of the carriage to form a gradually declining chute I93 relative to the path of travel of pears confined in the pockets I9 I. The chute I93 terminates in a discharge opening I94 formed in the plate I19 above the longitudinal axis of the frame I5. The depressed chute portion I 93 permits pres-gravitation of the pears relative to the pockets I9I while the hopper is in motion to assure a complete discharge of a pear from a pocket as it passes over the opening I94 and the falling pears are guided by a chute I95 into the feeding and orienting mechanism D. This chute I95 is supported on brackets I96 extending downwardly therefrom and bolted to the side flanges I1 of the frame I5.

Pivotally mounted on a rod I91 mounted within the chute I95 is flap L98 which hangs downwardly into'the path of the pears and is slightly restrained against forward movement by a light spring I99 to reduce the momentum of the pears discharging from the chute I95.

The bevel gear I82 whichis rotatable with the hopper meshes with a bevel gear 20I (Fig. 8) secured to a shaft 202 journaled in a bushing 203 formed on the lower surface of the plate I19 and the aforementioned bearing boss I15 on the mounting yoke I 53 whereby the shaft 202 will move with the carriage I18 relative to the pivotal mounting thereof on the bracket I5I. The free end portion 204 of the shaft 202 is disposed between the aligned bearings I52 of the yoke I53 and has a sprocket 205 secured thereto (Figs. 7, 8, and 9).

As seen in Figs. 1, 3, and 12, a cross shaft 206 is rotatably mounted on a pair of bearing brackets 201 and 208 bolted to respective angles on each side of the frame I5. The bracket 208 has a'pair of spaced bearings 208a and 2013b formed thereon for supporting the drive shaft 30 hereinbefore referred to. A bevel gear 209 is secured to the drive shaft 30 and meshes with a bevel gear 2| 0 secured to the cross shaft 296 to rotate the latter counterclockwise as seen in Figs. 5 and 6. A sprocket wheel 2I I is secured to the opposite end of the cross shaft 206, Figs. 7 and 9, and is drivingly connected to the sprocket 205 by a chain 2I2. It should be noted that the center of the sprocket wheel 205 is disposed on the pivot axis of the yoke I53 so that slight tilting of the sprocket 205, its shaft 202 and hopper carriage I18 is permissible without disturbing the driving relation between the two sprockets.

It is, therefore, apparent that the hopper I59 will be constantly rotated in a clockwise direction as seen in Fig. 2 so that pears not lodged in the pockets, but lying above the pears in the Feed control mechanism The feed control mechanism B constitutes a cut-off device whereby the flow of pears from the supply conveyor A to the transfer conveyor C is interrupted after a number of pears have been received in the latter. v

The cut-01f device best seen in Figs. 5, 6, 7,- and 9 comprises a gate 2I8 arranged for vertical movement to closed and open position relative to the discharge opening I33. The gate 2E8 has a curved upper flange 2I9 adapted to be upon the rim portion 226 of the side wall I39 of the hopper to permit the pears to gravitate from the inclined belt 61 into the lowermost region of the inclined hopper I50. 1

The gate 2I8 is shown secured to the ends of parallel rods 22I which extend beneath the chan nel 59 and have their opposite ends welded to a shaft 222 pivotally mounted between brackets 223 depending from and secured to the side wall I22 of the channel 59 farthest removed from the hopper. The rods in swinging toward and away from the table 52 guide the gate 21s for substantially vertical movement. relative to the discharge opening I33.

A rocker arm 224 is pivotally mounted at 225 on a stationary bracket 226 extending from the frame I5 (Fig. '7). The hopper plate I16 has a pair of depending lugs 22! at its lowermost,

periphery which lugs straddle the end of the shorter lever of the rocker arm 224and are pivotally connected thereto While the opposite end of the rocker arm is pivotally connected to the lower ends of straddle bars 228 having their upper ends pivotally connected to a lug 229 extending downwardly from the gate 2I8 thereby operatively connecting the gate to the counterbalanced hopper carriage I18.

The hopper carriage I18 is so balanced by the compression spring I66 that it will normally support approximately six to eight pears, but upon discharge of, about four additional. pears into the hopper the total weight of the pears will weigh down the hopper carriage and compress the spring I66 thereby tilting the hopper carriage into a lowermost position as seen in dotted lines in Fig. 9 whereupon the rocker arm 224 will be rocked to lower the shorter lever thereof and raise its opposite end to lift the gate 2I8 to closed position relative to thedischarge opening I33 thereby temporarily obstructing the flow of pears from the supply conveyor A until the weight of the pears in the hopper I56 is reduced by the successive discharge of pears therefrom into the feeding and orienting conveyor D. After a number of pears (four to five) have been discharged from the hopper the spring I66 will raise the hopper carriage to lift the shorter lever of the rocker arm 224 thereby lowering the gate 2m to permit the entrance of four or five more pears into the hopper I56. The load bearing capacity of the compression spring I66 may be varied by adjusting the lock nuts 163- on the stem I 62 so that the hopper will tilt upon the 10 discharge of a greater or'lesser number of pears thereinto as desired In. this manner, theamount of pears discharged from the supply conveyor A into the transfer conveyor 0 is so controlled as to prevent congestion therein and to permit tumbling of the pears over already filled pockets I9I into successive empty pockets as. they elevate from beneath the discharge opening I33 to a point above the discharge opening I94 during rotation of the transfer conveyor C.

Feeding and orienting conveyor The feeding and orienting conveyor D constitutes a screw feed 235 formed by a pair of substantially horizontally disposed spaced conveyor screws 236 extending lengthwise of the frame I5 as shown in Figs. 10 to 14 inclusive.

The screws 236 are supported in spaced relation as shown in Fig. 14 to form a trough T for supporting pears discharged from the transfer conveyor C, for orienting them and for conveying the same in oriented condition to the timing and discharge mechanism E.

Each screw comprises a tubular section or roll 238 having a sleeve cap 239 pressed into and sweated onto its receiving end, as seen in Fig. 15, and a sleeve cap 240 pressed into and sweated onto its discharge end, as seen in Fig. 16. Each sleeve cap 232 has a Spur gear 24I formed thereon and adapted to mesh with each other for rotating the tubular sections in opposite directions. Each of the sleeve caps 239 and 246 has a spindle 242 secured thereto by set screws 243. The spindles 242 of each conveyor screw are axially aligned with the tubular section thereof.

The frame l5 (Figs. 10, 18, and. 19) is provided with a bracket 244 bolted adjacent the front end thereof beneath the transfer conveyor. This bracket has a pair of bushings 245m which the respective spindles 242 extending from the sleeve caps 239 are rotatably mounted to support the receiving end of the conveyor screws on the frame. The opposite end of the frame is provided with a U-shaped hopper 26c bolted to the upper ends of bracket arms 266, the lower ends of 'the bracket arms are bolted as at 262 to the ends of the upstanding flanges I! of the frame I5. This U-shaped hopper 265 is provided with a pair of rounded block formations 263 having bushings 264, Fig. 16, for rotatably supporting the spindle shafts 242 extending from the sleeve caps 240 adjacent the timing and discharge mechanism E. As seen in Figs. 10, ll, 16, and 19, the upper surfaces of these block formations 263 are aligned with the ends of the tubular sections or rolls 238 and are of a contour which molds into the hopper formation so that the block formations cooperate with the side walls of the hopper to guide the pears from a substantially horizontal'to a vertical positionas will later become apparent.

Each of the tubular sections or rolls 238 is provided with a spirally trending thread 210. The threads 216 may be formed integrally with the constituent parts'of the conveyor or feed screws 236 as by'molding or cutting a thread into stock having substantially the form of the feed screws. However, in forming each screw the spiral thread is preferably applied by winding a helically trending bead 2' about the tubular section 238. This bead may be made from continuous tubing rolled to the form of an isosceles triangle in cross section as seen in Figs. 15 and 16. The base of each helically trending triangular shaped thread is soldered or otherwise secured to the tubular section associated, therewith. Each spiral thread commences at the front or fruit receiving end of its respective tubular section adjacent the spur gear 2 and is wound about the tubular section or roll in equally spaced convolutions to the discharge end of the same .to'space the pears equally from each other as they are fed along thertroughT. The spacing between the convolutions of the thread of each conveyor screw is greater than the length of the largest pears to be handled by the machine.

Thespiral threads 210 on the two rolls are oppositely convoluted (Fig. and are so disposed and aligned relative to each other trans- -versely of thetrough as to form a plurality of pockets 213 therein traveling from the receiving to the discharge end of the rolls upon rotation thereof in opposite directions, i. e., in the directions as indicated by arrows 238a and 23% in Fig. 14. Each of these pockets is adapted to receive and advance a single pear only and is of suflicient length to accommodate the pear lengthwise therein. The threads of the rolls are convoluted in such a manner that the thread portions in the trough at the rear end of each pocket present a pair of transversely aligned surfaces inclined toward the receiving end of the rolls for engaging the pear in the pocket at transversely opposite points X--X (Fig. 14) in he trough for urging the pear along the same with upward and forward thrusts causing the pear, in conjunction with the action of the rolls thereon, to roll forward and turn sidewise, in clockwise or counterclockwise direction, during its travel until its stem end is disposed in leading position in the pocket and is advanced in this position along the trough toward. the discharge end of the same.

From the above it will, therefore, be seen that the pears haphazardly dropped upon the screws at the receiving end thereof, with a single pear disposed in each pocket, are advanced in a single file and in spaced relation toward the discharge endof the screws and are oriented incident to their travel along the trough.

The altitude of the triangular shaped tubing or bead 2' is sufficiently high to prevent a fallback of the pears into the next successiv pocket thereby assuring againstthe posibility of a pocket becoming unoccupied prior to its arrival at the timing and discharge mechanism E or the possibility of a pocket arriving thereat with two pears for a single discharge.

At alternate points along the trough the spiral threads 21!) are provided with accelerated lead portions 214 disposed in staggered relation with respect to each other. These lead portions branch out from the normal thread at an increased pitch relative thereto. The first of such lead portions to be encountered by an advancing pear preferably branches from the. spiral thread on one screw at about its second convolution from the receiving end of the trough while the next or alternate lead portion branches from the spiral thread on the opposite screw at approximately the third or next successive convolution from the receiving end of the trough. Another such set of lead portions is formed on the screw feed approximately'midway between the ends of the trough.

As the screws rotate upwardly and outwardl relativ to the trough, the lead portions 214 sweep from below against the bulb portion of the pears with an accelerated action as compared with the normal pitch of the threads 21!] by reason of the fact that the lead portions are arranged at an increased pitch with respect thereto.

By this arrangement pears deposited upon the conveyor screws 236 by the transfer conveyor C and advanced along the trough with their stem blossom axes remaining laterally disposed relative to the trough are subjected to a sudden upward and forward thrust or kick at one side thereof by reason of the accelerated advance of the lead portions 214 engaging one side of the bulb portion of the pears. Referring to Fig. 10 the thrust efiected by the first lead portion 214a of one of the screws 236a will tend to turn a pear clockwise in the manner as illustrated in sequence by the pears shown in dotted lines at M2 to 5M in Fig. 10, while the thrust of the second lead portion 2140 will tend to swing a pear counterclockwise as is illustrated in sequence by the pears shown in dotted lines at BIG and 5H8 in Fig. 11. Consequently, dependent upon the directional disposition of the pears, those with their neck end portions lying on the feed screw 236a will be turned clockwise while those with their neck ends lying on the opposite screw 2352; will be turned counterclockwise whereby the neck ends of such pears are swung forwardly into leading position in the trough T formed by the two screws. The alternate lead portions 21412 and 214d further down the trough will have the same efiect on any pear that might be disposed to receive an accelerated thrust from them in the same manner as described with respect to the first pair of lead portions.

It is obvious that the same result may be obtained by increasing the pitch of the spiral threads 210 at alternate points along the trough sothat certain convolutions of the thread portions are offset relative to each other transversely of the trough at desired points therealong whereby the pears are turned sidewise in one or the opposite direction in the same manner and for the same purpose as explained above regarding the lead portions 214.

As best seen in Figs. 10 and 15, the spindle shaft 242 at the receiving end of the trough and ad-. jacent the drive shaft 30 has a sprocket 216 secured thereto by a set screw 211. A chain 218 is trained around the sprocket 276 and a sprocket 279, secured by set screw 25E) to the adjacent end of the drive shaft 30, to rotate the screw 235a in an upward and outward direction relative to the trough as indicated by arrow 2380. in Fig. 14 and, consequently, through spur gears 2:, to rotate the other screw 23612 in an opposite direction, i. e., in the direction indicated by arrow 23% in Fig. 14. The speed of rotation of the twin screws 236 is thereby synchronized with the operation of the pear preparation machine so as to rotate the screws one revolution incident to each intermittent operation of the Geneva drive to feed one pear into the timing and discharge mechanism E upon each intermittent operation of the turret 5. Since both the screw feed and the transfer conveyor are driven from the common drive shaft 30 in synchronism with the intermittent operation of the turret 5, it is apparent that they are in synchronism with each other so that one pear is discharged through the discharge opening I94 upon each revolution of the screw feed 235 when the first pocket 213 thereof is in fruit receiving position beneath the chute I95.

A center rail 285 is arranged in the space b tween the two screws 235. on legs 28.6 resting on the cross straps l9 and secured thereto by bolts 28! as seen in Fig. 11. Secured to the discharge end of the center rail by bolts 288 is a channel shaped end 289 of a yoke 29!], also shown in Fig. 22. The spaced arms of the yoke 29!! are provided with aligned bearings 25 between which a discharge pulley 292 is disposed for rotation on a shaft 293 suitably journaled in the bearing 29 I. The upper edges 290a of the spaced arms of yoke 293 are disposed at an angle relative to horizontal and as seen in Figs. 13 and 19v the spiral threads 213 have their. discharge ends tapered off at an angle as at 294 to extend substantially parallel to the upper edges of the respective yoke arms when the tapered ends 234 are disposed adjacent the same, the yoke 293 being so disposed relative to the screws 236a and 2351) to provide a sufficient clearance between the upper edges 290a of the yoke arms and the tapered ends 234 of the threads to permit free rotation of the screws.

A drive pulley 295 is keyed to the cross shaft 205, hereinbefore referred to in connection with the drive mechanism for the transfer conveyor C, for rotation in a plane substantially aligned with the center rail 285. Trained around the two pulleys 292 and 295 is a center belt 236 having its upper reach extending from the upper periphery of the drive pulley 295 to ride along the top surface of thecenter rail 285 and around the discharge pulley 292. The lower reach of the belt 295 is trained through a, passage formed by the offset leg 286 on the. cross strap lb-and over the bracket, 23 as well as over a tensioning pulley. 291. and thence around the drive pulley 235.

The tensioning pulley 29,1, Figs. ll, 14, and 21, s ota y arranged on a headed studshaft 298 ha in a r duced portion 299 on which is. arr d a W she 30 he reduced portion is threaded and extends through horizontal slot M o -med. i the depending flange 36.2 f a bracket 333 Welded to the adjacent flange l8 of the frame [5. A nut 334 is threaded on the re.- duced portion 293 to secure the stud shaft 238, and pulley 292 in a proper position to tension the belt 296. v a

The upper reach of the center'belt 29s is sup-. ported by the center rail 285 at such an elevation relative to the spaced screws 236 as to engage the stem or the neck portion of a pear disposed lengthwise within the trough and the center rail may be raised or lowered, as desired, by apply-v ing or removing washers 365. from the bolts 23? between the straps Is and legs 286 as will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

The drive pulley 295 is so dimensioned as to drive the center belt at a greater speed than the normal rate of advance of the pears by the screw feed so as to produce a constant forward drag on the leading stem ends of pears and prevent detention thereof at any point along the trough sufficiently long to form a fulcrum since, otherwise, the bulb portion of a pear may swing over the stem end thereof.

Each side of the trough T is provided with a side rail 3% each comprisinga pair of parallel rods 30'! and 338 supported in spaced relation on the ends of lower and upperle-gs, respectively, by laterally disposed U-shaped brackets 369. The upper legs of the brackets 309 are shorter than the lower legs thereof to dispose the lower rods 308 further away from the bight portions 3l0 of the brackets than the upperrods 331. The ends 3| I of the rods 3111 and 308 adjacent the timing and discharge mechanism 11. are reduced to fit into sockets 3l2 formed in the abutting face of the aforementioned U-shaped hopper 263 as seen in dotted lines in Figs. 10. and 11. The bight portions 310 of thebrackets 309 are secured by bolts 3l3 to vertical legs 3H3 of overhead bows 3l5 bolted as at M5 to the side flanges ll of the frame l5. As seen in Fig. 14,'the rails 336 are flared upwardly and outwardly from the point outside the longitudinal axes of adjacent screws 236 to prevent pears from hopping out of the trough and are open by reason of the space between the rods so as to permit the stems of pears to swing freely between them without binding or catching of the neck portions of the pears thereon.

The discharge half of the trough is provided with two pairs of pear engaging star wheels generally indicated by reference numeral 323 which are employed for the purpose of assuring that all pears, upon arriving at the discharge endof the twin screws, will be discharged therefrom stem end first.

All of the star Wheels and their associated parts are identical as seen in Figs. l0, l1, and 14, and, therefore, like reference numerals, will indicate like parts thereof. The support for each pair or set of star wheels comprises a pair of brackets 32! secured by bolts 322 to the outside flanges ll of the frame 55. Each pair of brackets have aligned bearings 323 at their upper ends for rotatably supporting a cross shaft 324 above the trough. Two star wheels are arranged in spaced relation adjacent each other and are secured to each cross shaft for rotation therewith. Each wheel consists of a hub 325 having a discportion 323 formed concentric relative to the hub. A series ofequally spaced semi-tubular radially extending recesses 32? are formed on the disc 323 to receive a series of rods or flexible rubber fingers 323 radially disposed with respect to the I hub portion 325.

A complementary disc 329 having a central opening 333 to fit over the hub 325 has a series of corresponding semi-tubular recesses 33f to embrace the rods 328. The disc 329 is secured to the disc 326 by bolts 332 to grip the rods in vise,- like fashion. Each star wheel is so disposed on its respective cross shaft 324 that it rotates in a plane substantially above the longitudinal axis of a respective feed screw 235 and, is secured to the cross shaft by a set screw 333 in the hub portion 325.

One end of the cross shaft 324 has a retainin collar 334 secured thereto outside the adjacent bearing 323 while the opposite end of the cross shaft extends beyond the opposite bearing 323 and has a pulley 335 secured thereto. A drive pulley 336 is secured to the drive shaft 30 adja cent the star wheel bracket 32! and trained around this pulley and the pulley 335 is a v-belt 33'! whereby to rotate the star wheels in timed relation to the advance of pears by the screw feed 235 in a direction such that the radial rods 328 swing substantially in the direction of movement of the pears" along the sides of the trough but at a slightly greater speed relative thereto.

' By the foregoing arrangement, the neck portion of any pears arriving laterally disposed in the dischargehalf of the trough, i. e., with their neck portions lying'against one or the other conveyor screw and their stem ends extending laterally from the trough, will be engaged by the rods 328 and kicked forward whereby the pearis turned sidewise until its stem end, is disposed in leading position in the trough.

A conduit 350 is supported above the trough on the bight portions of the bows 3 I 5 hereinbefore mentioned and is secured to these bight portions in'alignment with the longitudinal axis of the trough by U-bolts 351. One end of this conduit is connected to a water supply pipe 352 having a suitable control valve (not shown) and its opposite end is closed by a cap 353. The conduit has a series of apertures 354 formed along its bottom surface for spraying water upon the rolls and the pears moving therealong to wash away any juices exuding from the pears and to reduce the friction between the rolls and pears to a minimum.

Timing and discharge mechanism The timing and discharge mechanism E is carried by the U-shaped hopper 260 at the discharge end of the feeding and orienting conveyor D. This U-shaped hopper (Fig. 1) has its bight portion secured to a brace rod 360 extending from and rigidly supported by a bracket 33! having its lower end bolted as at 362 to the frame I of the pear preparation machine and its upper end secured to a tie rod 363 thereof to align the hopper vertically above the oscillating feed cup, not shown, but'constituting a part of the pear feed or transfer mechanism described and shown in the aforementioned copending application Serial No. 523,084.

At the lower edge of the hopper 260 there are a plurality of integrally formed bosses 3S5 (Figs. 1, 10, 1 1, 13, 18, and 19), two on each side of the hopper and spaced from each other in alignment with two like spaced bosses on the other side'of the hopper. Each of these bosses has a bore 366 (Fig. 16) formed therein transversely with respect to the trough T to provide aligned bushings 361 adjacent the discharge end of the feeding and orienting conveyor as well as aligned bushings 368 adjacent the bight portion of the U-shaped hopper.

Pivotally arranged between these aligned bosses (Figs. 18 and 20) is a frustoconical open ended pear positioning and centering pocket or feed trap 310 comprising a pair of jaws 3H and 312. The jaw 31! has a mounting hub 313 formed at its upper end and secured to a shaft 314 the ends of which are supported for rotation in the aligned bushings 368. The jaw 312 is split vertically at its center and has its segmental sides joined at their lower ends by a U-bar forming an integral part therewith as seen in Figs. 19 and 20. The

upper ends of the split jaw 312 are provided with I released for free fall in oriented position into the spaced bosses 315 which straddle the discharge pulley 232. Aligned shafts 315 and 311 are secured to and extend laterally from each of the respective spaced bosses 315 into their respective bushings 351 to support the split jaw 312 for swinging movement relative to the hopper 260.

The shafts 314 and 316 on one side of the hopper each have a depending arm 318 secured thereto adjacent the jaws 31! and 312 and these shafts extend beyond the spaced bosses 365 to receive bell crank levers 319 and 380, respectively, which are secured to the shafts 314 and 316 by set screws. The lateral arms of the bell crank levers 319 and 333 have their ends disposed beside each other, the lateral arm of lever 380 carrying a pin 382 which extends through a slot 383 formed in the lateral arm of lever 319 to link the levers, their shafts, and their respectivejaws for simultaneous rocking movement toward and away from each other. The depending arms of the bell crank 1'6 levers 319 and380 correspond to and are spaced from the aforementioned depending arms 318. The lower ends of each set of these corresponding arms are joined by separate cross pins 384. The cross pinon one set of depending arms (Figs. 13 and 18) carries a piston 385 while the cross pin on the other set carries a cylinder 386. The piston 335 is slidably arranged in the cylinder 386 as seen in Fig. 18 to provide a pneumatic control unit 381. The ends of the cross pins 384 extend beyond the bell crank levers and each have an eye formation 338 for receiving the hooked end of atensionsprlng 389. The spring 389 draws the depending arms as well as the jaws 311 and 312 of the feed trap toward each other, and urges the lateral arms of the bell crank levers intoengagement with a stop lug 330 bolted as at 39! to the side wall of the hopper 283 thereby normally holding the jaws of the centering pocket or feed trap in closed or pear receiving position, as seen in Figs. ll, 18, and 20 to receive the pears stem end first from the screw feed 235.

An inlet tube 400 (Fig. 18) extends downwardly from the cylinder. 286 for connection to a flexible air conduit 43I to conductcompressed air to the chamber of the control unit 331 at timed intervals as controlled automatically by the operae tion of the pear preparation machine.

The conduit 40| (Fig. l) is connected to an air control valve 402 which in turn is connected to an air supply pipe 403. The valve 402 is suitably mounted on the turret housing 3 of the pear preparation machine and has a valve stem 404 extending radially relative to the turret 5 just below the rest position of one of the stemming tubes 1. The valve stem 404 is normally urged into valve closing position, in a manner as shown in the copending application Serial No. 523,084 previously referred to, and engages a cam lever 405 pivotally mounted as at 406 on the turret housing 3. The free end of the cam lever 405 extends into the path of the stemming tube supports 6 on the turret during their intermittent movement by the turret. As the supports 6 move away from rest position, the cam lever 405:-is engaged thereby and urged outwardly thereby depressing the valve stem to momentarily open the control valve and to instantaneously admit compressed air into the cylinder 386 of the control unit 381 to quickly'extend the piston and cylinder thereof and to instantaneously swing the jaws 31! and 312 to open position whereby the pear held by the feed trap is instantaneously feed cup of the pear preparation machine (not shown but forming a part of. the copending application hereinbefore referred to). The cylinder 386 is provided with an aperture 401 from which the air bleeds during the operation of the control unit 381.

The length of the cam lever 405 and its extension into the path of the stemming tube supports 6 determines the length of time the valve will be held open and as the engaging stemming tube support 6 moves out of engagement with the cam lever 405 the valve stem, 404 returns to normal position under the action of a spring inside the valve housing whereby the valve is closed.

The moment the valve is closed the air pressure in the cylinder 386 is released by reason of the air relief aperture 401 therein so that the feed trap 310 is closed under the action of spring 389 for reception of the next successive pear.

' Operation. 7

At the beginning of the operation of the machine of the present invention the supply conveyor A and the pear preparation machine F are set in motion by their respective drive means'previously referred to herein whereby the transfer conveyor .0, the feeding and orienting conveyor TD, and the discharge mechanism E are operated in timed relation with the pear preparation.ma chine. posed in its uppermost position and the'gate 218 of the feed control mechanism'B is infits'lowermostcoropen position as shown inFig. '1. I

Thepears to be oriented and fed by the machine of the present inventionare deposited upon the continuously moving belt 161 at the inlet 'IZtd of the supply conveyor A either by a conveyor ,or by dumping the pears directly from the boxes upon the belt 61.. The supply ofthe pears is so regulated that the supply conveyor A .is not overloaded but a suffic'ient quantity of pears .is maintained on the belt 6''! for transfer to the conveyor C to assure continuous feeding of the fruitwithout interruption from the transfer conveyor C to the feeding andorienting conveyor ,D.,

The pears deposited upon the .belt '61 are advanced by the same in the direction of arrow 61a (Fig. l) As previously stated herein, (the belt 61 .is tilted toward the side 122a and opening 133 while it travels in upwardly inclined direction over the .block 134 toward the ridge I31 thereof, so that the pears supported on thefbel't 167 are urged toward the opening .133 and aredischarged through the same into the transfer conveyor C. H .After .allimited number of pears has been discharged from the supply conveyor .A into the continuously rotating hopper 15.0 of the transfer The empty transfer conveyor C is dis- 1 same. The pears received in the pockets l9l are conveyor *0, the weight-of the pears in the hopper "overcomes the counterhalancing effect of the compression spring 166 and the hopper I5!) is weigheddown under the load of the fruit whereby the hopper I and the carriage .I'.1.'8 thereof are swung downwardly from their full .line to their dotted line position in Fig. 9.. The descent of the circular .plate -I 1.9,.of the transfer conveyor 0 depresses the short lever of the rocker arm 224 and. raises the longer lever thereof whereby the discharge gate 218 is moved upwardly from its open position shown in full lines in Big. .9 to its closed position shown in dotted lines in said figure, and further discharge of the pears from supply conveyor A to the transfer conveyor .Cisinterrupted.

AsJsoon as the discharge gate 72 I8 is closed, the

"pears advanced by the conveyor belt -51 continue theirtravel'pas't the ridge [31 toward the curved end wall 121 and are transferred thereby upon the conveyor belt which returns the pears to- "ward the inlet end of the conveyor where they "are transferred back upon "the belt 61 by the curved end wall IZla. In this way-any pears not discharged through the opening fl'33 are returned upon the belt 51 and are again advanced toward the discharge opening I33 together with the new pears fed to the-conveyor at the inlet iifldxtherecarried along with the hopper I56 during the continuous rotation of the same and are advanced along the inclined stationary plate 11.9 7

until they arrive at the gradually'declining chute :93 and are gradually lowered in the pockets .and I finally discharged through the discharge opening 94 in the plate H9 at the time each respective pocket registers'with'the same.

About ill to 13 pears are deposited into the hopper C at the .commencement of the operation of the machine. However, assoon as 4 to .5 pears have been discharged :from the hopperiEil the weight of the remaining pears in the hopper is .insuificient to counteract the action of the spring 166 so that the hopper is elevated thereby and the .gate 218 :is opened whereby another batch of pears, about 4 to 5 pears, is admitted into the hopper 159 until the hopper is weighed-down and the gate 2]8 :is closed in the :same .manner machine and the hopper is not allowed to :run

empty since this would cause interruption of the continuous .feedingiof the fruit to :the pear preparation machine.

it is desired to increase 101' reduce the quantity of pears discharged into the transfer conveys-r 'C at a time, it;is.-crily necessary to reduceior increase the tension of the spring zliifi as: be obvioustothosesltillediintheart.

Each pear discharged by the transfer conveyor -.C through the discharge opening 1-534 thereof is deposited into the declined discharge chute I 95 which :in turn discharges the pear past the flap flflfl iiirectly upon the receiving 181101 of the :feed screws 2 36 and into the first traveling pocket 12 formed by the threads thereof. The flap 1118 re- .duces the momentum of the pear sufiicien-tly to prevent it from roiling into the preceding pocket 2:13. It should Rae further noted that the continuousrotation of the feed screws in opposite directions, i. e., in the directions as "indicated by ar rows 238a and 2381), respectively, is timed in such a manner with respect to the operation to the transfer conveyor C that only ime pear is deposited into each traveling pocket 273 "of the reed screws atthe time it is in fruit rcceivingposition beneath the d-ischarge chute 195. The pears successively deposited into successive pockets -2=t3 traveling from the receiving to the discharge end of the troughT-are advanced along thetrough 'I by the spirally trending andjoppositely'convoluted threads 210 of the feed screws :in a single file in predetermined spaced relation with respect to each other and in timed relation with respect to the operation ,of the discharge mechanismE.

The pears deposited upon the feed screws 5236 may be disposed with their stemhlossom axesjin v almost any angular direction and, consequently.

will .begin their travel along the trough T in vdifferent positions relative thereto and it is the function of the feed and orienting conveyor 13 to orient the pears during their conveyance in such .ainan-ner that when the pears arrive at the tim- 75..i n g or discharge station they are all arranged in a predetermined manner with their stem ends disposed in leading position and with the stem end or neck portions of the fruit in contact with the center belt 296 while the bulb portions oi the pears are disposed in trailing position within the trough T so that they rest on and between adjacent'conveyor rolls 236 and are engaged by the threads 210 of the same at points X-X (Fig. 14) transversely of the trough.

It therefore, apparent that pears dropped onto the feed screws 239 and into the traveling pockets 213 thereof with their stem ends disposed in leading position and with their bulb ends resting on and between the tubular portions of.adjacent conveyor screws will remain in this position by the reason of the constant forward drag of the center belt 295 on their stem portions, which pre vents turning of the pears by the threads of the screws, and will be advanced in this position.

tions and threads of the feed screws in the manner as illustrated in sequence by the pears shown in dotted lines a 506 to M in Figs. and 11.

The neck portion of such pears is engaged and lifted upwardly by the rearwardly inclined and upwardly moving threads 210 of the feed screws 236 at the trailing end of the pocket within which they are disposed as shown at 506. While the neck end of the pears is lifted upwardly the same drops sidewise either against the conveyor screw 236a, as shown at 50'! in Fig. 10, or against the conveyor screw 236b, as shown at 501a in Fig. 11. When the pear arrives at the position, as shown at 501 in Fig. 10, the threads of both conveyor screws 236 engage the bulb end of the fruit and tend to lift the same thereby causing rolling advancement of the. bulb end. of the fruit along the trough from position 501 to position 509 (Fig. 10). In view of this rolling advancement of the bulb portion, the neck end of the fruit is caused to roll along the tubular portion of the conveyor screw 236a and is swung laterally around in clockwise direction from position 501. to Position508 and finally to position 509 whereupon it slides downward along the tubular portion of the conveyor screw 236a into the trough until it contacts the center belt'296 and is disposed in leading pgsition in the trough T, as shown at 5l0 in Fig. 1

If the neck end of the pear drops against the feed screw 23612, as shown at 501a in Fig. 11, it is oriented in substantially the same manner as described in the above with the exception that in this case the neck end of the pear rolls along the tubular portion of the conveyor screw 23Gb and is swung around in counterclockwise direction from position 501a (Fig. 11) to position 508a and 509a until the neck end slides downwardly the tubular portion of the feed screw 23% and is disposed in leading position upon the center belt 296, as shown at 5" in Fig. 11.

Sometimes, however, if a perfectly symmetrical pear is deposited upon the feed screws with its stem end in trailing position, the neck end of the pear may not drop sidewise against the tubular portion of one or the other feed screw as it is lifted upwardlyby the threads 210, but

may be swung directly over the bulb portion into leading position in the trough. during the rolling advancement of the fruit.

In either case, however, the rotation or rolling of the fruit is immediately arrested as soon as the leading stem end of the fruit contacts the center belt 296 which, since it travels faster than the advancing fruit, exerts a forward drag on the stemend thereof and thereby maintains the fruit with its stem end in leading position, as shown at 5) in Figs. 10 and 11, during further conveyance of the fruit by the threads 210 toward the discharge end of the trough.

If a pear is deposited into the trough T with the stem blossom axis disposed transversely thereof and with its neck portion lying either on the tubular portion of the feed screw 236a,.as shown in dotted lines at 508 in Fig. 10, or on the tubular portionv of the feed screw 236b,. as shown in dotted lines at 508a in Fig. 11, the advancing rearwardly inclined and upwardly and outwardly revolving threads 210 of opposing screws will 'roll the bulb portion of the pear along the trough whereby the neck portion of the pear is rolled along the tubular portion of the feed screw against which it is resting and is swung forward, as shown at 509 and 509a,'respectively, so that it slides down the tubular portion of the feed screw 236a or 23Gb into leading position in the trough and into contact with the center belt 296, as shown at 5|0 in Figs. 10 and 11.

Some pears, however, especially if they have a fiat calyx portion, may not be turned around during their advancement by the normal threads 210 of the conveyor screws in the manner as above described, but will remain transversely disposed in the trough either in a position as shown in dotted lines at 506 in Fig. 10 or in a position as shown in dotted lines at 508a in Fig. 11 since the fiat'caly'x portion resting against the tubular portion of one or the other conveyor screw 23% or 236a, respectively, holds the pears in a comparatively stable position so that they will not turn in the manner as above described. These pears are therefore advanced in this position by the threads 210 until their bulb portion is engaged by one of the accelerated or lead portions 214 of the conveyor screw against which their neck end is leaning.

For instance, if a pear remains in the position as shown at 508 in Fig. 10, it is advanced in this position along the trough T until it is engaged by the lead portion 214a or 21417 of the conveyor screw 236a. The action of both of these lead portions upon the fruit is the same and, therefore, only the action of the lead portion 214a is specifically described herein. If the fruit disposed in the trough, as shown at 508 in Fig. 10, arrives in this position at the lead portion 214a, the same sweeps from below against the bulb portion of the pear whereby the pear is suddenly lifted and kicked forward with accelerated speed along the trough T and out of engagement with the normal threads 2'50 at the trailing end of the pocket, as shown in dotted lines at 512 in Fig. 10. The component force of this sudden upward and forward kick causes the pear to turn laterally in clockwise direction from position 5i2 to the position as shown at 5|3 in Fig. 10 and to finally slide with its neck end downwardly on the tubular portion of the feed screw 236a into leading position in the trough and into contact with the center belt 296, as shown at 5 in Fig. 10.

If the pear is disposed and advanced in a'posi- 2 1 tio'n as 's'hown a tflflia in Fig. "1 1, thehti-Ib portion thereof is engaged ith'er by thelead-portionzflc or 21411 during the travi er the pear along the "trough whih both function i-n th'e sam-e -mean-Yer to turn -'-the fruit 'with its stem end -"into lead-mg r position. For instance, if thebuib portionof tne peer is engaged by "the lead portion as shown in dotted lines atfifli inFi'g. "ID, the fruit is suddenly kioked upward and forward out of engagement with the normal thread portions l-T whereby the neok end er the pear isswung forward and the fruit is -turned laterally in 'countero1ockwise direotion from po'sition' IE to position 1513 E-i'gs. l ozand 11 so tha'tthe neek *eiidslides down the tubularportion or the *feed screw 2356i) ilitb leading-position lin the trough and' intc contaetwith the oen' ter belt 2516, "as shown -at 5'18 c in Fi'gs. 91101 1 1.

rshould the lead portions "df'the feediscrews,

however, rail to turn the pears in the manner as above described and a *pearremaiin in apos'ivtion with its stem blossom fatiis transversely dis- -posed"re1ative ts the trough and with *its' nek lying on one or the other' fee'd =sorew, as shown at -5 l2 ia'n'd =51 6 in :Fig. I0, and he advanced inthis 'zposition toward the continuonsiy "rotating *star .In:theinormai"operati'onpi the@edand orienm :in'gseonveyor D, themajorityscfpears areoriented :during their conveyance within the tr-avenue pockets formed .by the first five' convoiutions df the threads 0f the roppos'ing feed screws *wh'er'eupon the eenter bft 2%, Width tra-veis "at/"a- :greater speed thaosi" the pears, exerts a continuous forward drag upon the -leading stem ends-oi the Ifmiit :and maintains the pears in pri'ented position while the thread portions "W 0 of adjacent :feed screws engage the lbulb ends of the fruit :and 'e'onvey "the pears in properly timed and spaced relation "with :ionly qme pear *disposed in reach itraveiing pooket 213 toward the iiiseharge :mechaiiism'E. j

:As the pears arrive succession at "the "ii-iseha'rge end of th'e trough 'I ii'he final convoiution ofdaheithreads 2 m "transfers ea'h individual pear -:onto the zroun'd'e'd 'blodk format'ions 263 "in "the hopper-#280 and, 'due to the-eonfigrrrettionhi these zblock :formations, the stem end o'f eaeh fruit "is tilted :downward and the "fruit isliowered into en- :g-agement with the reenter be'lt 29B wiiiidh ifinaily icarries'stheffruitiinto 'theiho'pper 260 and deposits the fruit, stem end down into the same "(see BEE-.1119.

:Each :pe'ar so disdha-rged into "the hopper 760 -gravitates s'tem end first into the-closed pearpo's'itioning and centering pocket or "feed tra'p 37D which receives the fruit and "centers the same therein 'with the stem bi'os'som "axis of the fruit disposed substantially vertical position for transfer into *the oseiiletingfeedeup -"('n'cit'shown) "of the pear preparation *rnadhine. -The 'pookt "310 "is so positioned relative to the 'oseill-ajting "feed eup'thatwhen the latter isin iruit'reeeiving'po's'i- 'tion it "is axially aligned therewith anti-disposed therebeneath. The 'construetion and operation 'of'this oscillating feed cup has heen clearly 75 "iofth in the -cop'ending appiication Serial N0.

523;804"previous1 :reierre'd 'to'iherein.

While the peer is held in the pocket 3-10 "the turret fi o'f thepear-preparation.machine F begins one-of its intermittent movements and c'au'ses the stemni-ing 'tube holder 6 to momentarily depress theeam 4'05 and thevalve s'tem 48d of th'eValve 402 whereby the pneumatic control unit' 381"is actuated causing "instantaneous opening of "the j'awvsd'f the feedtrap tfi thereby instantaneously reIeasin'g the pear therefrom, without disturbing -its hriented and ee'nte'red position, for free ran in to the osdillatin'g "feed cu-p of the 'pear preparation machine disposed at this "time in fruit reeeiving position 'thei'ebeneaith.

Since the stemming "tribe holder '5 travels rapidly past -the cam 4t5 durin'g the intermittent movement df "thetiirret 5, "the valve 452, wh'ioh controls the 'admittanoe of compressed *air "to "the pneumatic contr'oi 'unit 381, is quickly opened "and oiose'd :so that the jaws or the feed trap 3 1B are "oniyrmomentaril opened-and are therefore again in cl'ose'd position prior to "the arrival of the next rsuccessive *fp'ear discharged "from the i ifeed troughT intothe pocket t'io 'o'f-the disoharge rneehanismfE.

Inithis manner "the pears are con'tinuous'l ifed oftthefdischarge mechanism E and. are oriented r a d-tiring ttheir conveyance along lthe orienting eon- -ve ycr lD i=s'o that all pears are "deposited in predetenniined -p'osition, i. e., stem end down into the :te'ed trap are and are discharged therefrom in saidpositi'oneither into the oscillatin feed cup to: a pear preparation machine of the type rel ter-red tro herein or "to the pear -holding or trans- 1er means "of any "other type "of pear handling r rrraehine in oorine'c'tion with which the apparatus inf the present "inventionmay "be used.

, White-I have shown and describeda preferred embodiment :cr my "invention, it will be understoo'd that various changes and modifications v:-'rnay be made without departing from the spirit er the present invention. "It is to be unc'ierstood,

,. therefore, thatthe scope "of the "invention should ee iim'ited only by the scope and proper inter- *pr'eta-i'iion of "the claims appended hereto;

Having thus described my invention, what 'I claim as new and desire to ,protest by Letters Patentis;

1. -ii"pea-rfeedin and orienting apparatus comprising -a supply conveyor, a transfer conveyor, 'meanspperahie b the amount ofpears in the transfer conveyor "for controlling t'he diseharge of batches'of pears from the supply to the transfer conveyor, said transfer conveyor 'inluding. meansior fiisharging pears "in succession therefrom, anda'ieeding and orienting conveyor for receiving the peers from "the transfer conveyor, 'ior 'm'orienting the pears and for feeding them in orientedposition to a place of deposit.

"2. id'pearieedm 'and orienting apparatus comprising a "s ply conveyor, a transfer conveyor, s'aid supply conveyor "being adapted to discharge g spears "ihto the transfer conveyor, means operable by the transfer conveyor intermediate sa-id supply and transfer conveyors v-for JJOIitFOlli-Ilg the discharge of peers into the transfer 'i-conveyor, said transfer conveyor including means .for discharging ,pea'rs in succession therefrom, and a "feeding and orienting eonveyorfor receiving the pea-rs from the transfer conveyor, for orienting the pears and for discharging them .in oriented position and timed relation therefrom.

3. A pear feeding and orienting apparatus com- 

